News in brief PITTSFIELD: MCI RECEIVES GIFT OF BOOKS

For the third year in a row, Maine Central Institute has been the recipient of a gift of textbooks from an alumnus who arranged for more than $70,000 worth of free math textbooks. In 2003, Norbert Young, who graduated from MCI in 1966 and now lives in Connecticut, arranged the donation of an entire series of math books. Last year, he arranged the gift of 120 science books for the sophomore Integrated Science course. This year, Young donated another 71 math books. Young, who works for McGraw-Hill, a major publisher of textbooks, approached MH Educational Publishing about helping to make the book donation. If purchased directly, the gift of books would cost in excess of $70,000. According to Linda Amsden, MCI’s math department chair, the department has been able to supply students with graphing calculators to use in class and at home instead of buying books. In addition, the department has been able to purchase and fund other classroom supplies.